The XTC-Shop
Imagine the government regulates the production and sale of ecstasy. Can anyone buy it anywhere? Or will there be an age limit and we will have strict supervision? In the xtc-shop, you decide!
The xtc-shop in Amsterdam
The xtc-shop is one of Poppi’s most popular art installations. In our ‘shop’, you can immerse yourself in a world where ecstasy is sold legally. What would it look like if you could buy ecstasy in a pharmacy, a smart shop, or even at a festival?
In the xtc-shop you will experience different sales settings that have been recreated in a creative way. Not only do you get a glimpse into this hypothetical future, but you also get to think along: under what conditions could ecstasy be sold in a responsible way? What do you think is important when it comes to safety, supervision and age limits? Through interactive tools, you can give your opinion and contribute to the public debate.
The xtc-shop set foot in Utrecht (2022), Enschede (2023), at the ‘Dealing with Drugs’ conference (2024), Ghent, Belgium (2024), and in Amsterdam (end of 2024).
An ‘experiential’ public survey
The xtc-shop makes the social discussion about the regulation of drugs concrete and takes it to the extreme. As a result, we first sharpen the discussion, and then bring a deeper layer to the debate.
It’s all about the dialogue and the interaction with the audience. Visitors not only get a glimpse into a future where ecstasy is regulated, but can also actively think about the conditions under which that sale takes place. Through an interactive survey, your opinion is collected, analysed and later processed into a report that is shared with policymakers and politicians.
The Amsterdam experience
The research report on Poppi’s xtc-shop in Amsterdam has just been published. Together with the University of Amsterdam and Utrecht University, we examined in three ways how to regulate ecstasy. This yields surprising results! Read here about the preferences of our visitors, the different models for responsible regulation, and how our installation helped people form their own opinions.
In addition to our report on the Amsterdam xtc-shop, here is our report on the Utrecht xtc-shop.
Regulating ecstasy – is that serious?
Yes, it is. The regulation of ecstasy has been a topic of discussion for years. Ecstasy is a popular substance in the Netherlands, but its illegal production and trade cause serious problems. Yet the debate often gets stuck in a polarised discussion between proponents and opponents. We don’t get much further than that, and it’s hard to imagine what a world in which ecstasy is legally available would look like.
Steps have been taken towards regulation:
- In 2019, prominent Dutch figures and experts published a Manifesto to advocate for evidence-based drug policies.
- In 2020 a think tank of 18 experts favoured regulated production and sale of ecstasy to protect health, safety and environmental interests.
- In 2022, the DenkWerk think tank spoke out in favour of regulating ecstasy.
- Poppi opened the first xtc-shop in Utrecht, where even the Minister of Health Kuipers visited us.
- In January 2024, Mayor Halsema of Amsterdam organised the ‘Dealing with Drugs’ conference to take the conversation about responsible regulation to the next level.
- In 2024, the Dutch MDMA State Commission advised to make ecstasy available within a therapeutic setting.
- In 2025, the municipality of Amsterdam will explore the possibilities of launching a pilot project regarding regulated ecstasy.
Regulating ecstasy is therefore serious business, and the xtc-shop makes this debate concrete and accessible to everyone.
The XTC-Shop at Your Event
Do you want to host the xtc-shop at your event or festival? The xtc-shop can also be booked in a mobile version. Do you have any questions about this project? Please contact us at info@poppi.amsterdam.
The xtc-shop was built in collaboration with:
- De Gemeente Amsterdam
- Universiteit Utrecht
- Universiteit van Amsterdam
- Westergas
- Stichting Mainline
- Vincent Schoutsen
- Tijmen Zonnevijlle
- Wouter van Veldhoven
- Corné van der Stelt.
- Adam Fierman
- Peter Andrew
- Sofija Podvisocka
- Stan Heerkens